Protective wrapper for springs and the like



y 1930. D. E HENNESSY 1,757,633

PROTECTIVE WRAPPER FOR SPRINGS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 16, 1927 Fig.1.

V lnveni'on Dunie| E Hennessy byfgeewi MyW Patented May 6, 1930 LHMBB PATENT FFEQ DANIEL E. HENIN'ESSY, 0F CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR 0F SIXTY PER CENT TO LEWIS-SHEPARD COMPANY, OF WATERTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS, A COR- PORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS PROTECTIVE WRAPPER FOB SPRINGS AND THE LIKE Application filed December 16, 1927. Serial 1W0. 240,484.

In its broader sense the invention relates also to a novel wrapper which may be produced as an article of manufacture and employed not only as a wrapping for leaf springs, but for various other obv1ous purposes.

Various covers for leaf springs have been employed including fabric tapes having adhesive coatings of the type employed to cover electric connections. Such covers have been unsatisfactory and of short life because the cover does not yield uniformly in conformity to the flexing of the springs, and the unequal strains thereby imposed upon the tape causes it to unwind or become ineffective within a short time.

Other forms of covers have been employed, such as rubberized fabric casings, steel cas ings, and the like. Such constructions, however, are expensive and are of a more or less bulky and unpleasing appearance.

An object of the present invention is to provide a relatively simple and inexpensive and efficient spring cover which can be readily applied.

A further object of the invention is to provide a spring cover of weatherproof elastic material which will closely enclose the spring and will yield in conformity with the flexing of the spring.

A further object of the invention is to provide a spring cover of this character which will exclude water, dust, and other foreign materials from the spring leaves, and which will also prevent the escape of suitable lubricants from the spring.

These and other objects and features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the end portion of one of the side frames of a vehicle with a usual type of leaf spring secured thereto and showing a preferred type of spring cover embodying the invention in the process of being applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a detail view in perspective of a portion of a spring cover having a body of elastic material, such as rubber composition, which may be vulcanized, and having homogeneous surface layers of like material of a tacky consistency, such for example as uncured rubber;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a sheet of homogeneous elastic material, such as uncured rubber, supported upon and detachably adherent to a sheet of flexible material providing an article of manufacture which can be folded or rolled into packages suitable for storage and transportation.

As illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings the end portion 1 of the side frame is provided with a bracket 2 to which one end of the long leaf 3 of a usual leaf spring is secured, the opposite end of the leaf spring being flexibly secured to the end of the frame by a shackle 4. The spring comprises a series of supplemental leaves 5 of any desired number superimposed upon the lower side of the long leaf 3.

The spring wrapper embodying the invention comprises a sheet 6 of weatherproof elastic material which enwraps the spring and may extend either from end to end, as shown, or may comprise sections on either slde of the usual spring chair. The sheet which constitutes the wrapper for the spring desirably is of substantially homogeneous elastic material presenting a tacky surface which when overlapped will cohere with a like surface of the sheet upon which it is superimposed, and thereby form an effectively integral cover, or casing.

In the illustrative embodiment of the in- V ever, be understood that the sheet may be cut to suitable form by dies, or otherwise, and applied to the spring with sufficient portions of the surface of the sheet overlapping to insurea complete covering of the spring and .sufiieient area of contact between the surfacest-o .insure permanent cohesion therebetween, and form an integral casing.

The covering desirably is applied to the spring under tension and the elasticity of the :material will maintain suchtension upon the Wrapper which will always cause it to bind tightly upon the spring. By virtue of the elasticity of the covering and of the tension which is maintained, the cover will yield in conformity with the flexing of the spring with nosubstantial slipping between thecover and thespring. The spring cover when appl d un e te on de n mai ..ta ning ,prope co t ct "betwe n th p n leaves and in .insuringplpper interleaf fric- .tion between said leaves.

IEheshee or ng h spr ns' ve may h mad f a ysui a le, s sta lly hom sen ou ,-elasti c c mp sitio th ur a o h oh are adap wh n sup rimpos to oo er and t i f rm a spring o ve mprising a substantially int'egralmass of mat ria 1 enw eepias th pringe erahly themate al ofthe sn ne is uncured rubber or a rubber composition presenting a surface of uncured rubber whic be or it app icati n o t sp i n. a t cky ondit oa A uitabl r composition .j or suc a sh th mad a g y f re a mno h r, a or examp 0 D of aimtree l,. re -t of re aim c n. 4 P r of magn s um oxide, 6 Ports of lime, *l0 parts of calcium carbonate. How v other s i P port on o rubber, either pure or reclaim,.and other ingredients, may 'be employed to provide sheet' having proper elasticity, and the other eharacteris- 'ticsherein described, in accordance with the knowledge of those skilled in the art of rubber manufacture.

I In Fig. 2 of the drawings a sheet is illustrated which comprises a central body of -.ruhber composition '7 presenting opposite surfaces 8 and '9 of uncured rubber. The body 7 n1ay be formed as a separate sheet and so treated or vulcanized as to provide a 'highdegree of elasticity. 'Ihe,sur,f ace coveri-ng 1.8 and 9 may he applied of uncured rubber, substantially homogeneous in cornpesition with that of the sheet 7. Preferably, ew y e r eeti 'm de un flhomogeneous uncured rubber compcsition 10 as illustrated in Fig. 3,-in which-the sheet is npo te upon fl xible .bese shee v1& f

apn ar.

.Whenthe sheet is wrapped upgnthegspning the supe imposed g g 9f gnawed nubber Pu poses whioh w ll-henei fie mor fully Will oehe er rmanently, -Wh le theesp 3 .s rfao will soo meme ai dried o ai vulcanized and present a smooth appear ance which is not tacky or sticky. A spring cover of this character is weatherproof, is not effected by graphite which is commonly used as a lubricant for the spring, nor is it spond to or harmonize with the color -Qfith6 chassis or body .of the vehicle. :Qbviously any desired numberof sheetsorlayers .may he applied-as may he requiredor desirable. Itcan be readily removed and a new cover applied. Sheets of suitable material embodying th i n nrmay be .made. i any desired lengthso that itlis unnecessary :to P d s et fr r ou siz Eor d fiereh si and ch rac r ofr prlngs- .Theelasticity of the sheet permits itto bewrapped around the usual springiclips, thereby avoiding the necessity f their aremoval as-1s reqhir 1n many-types f. spr g overs- A fu her obje tof he inven ion is 1Proi e a she t f t e a ter 'desorib dzas an rt-i l of menufae u Su h a heeti llustrat d i Figwh h aI- h etof la ti mate ial 10 i show uch as a homogeneo h trubbe ha i-ngtao r unf o s on o which is supported upon and adheres {to-a flex e heotao ss teb ma i li r bas 11 .he ing smoothsu-rface f om-which the sheet f -elas ma e ia e n be readily d taeh dhe -the she i t supnorted'th sheet and the sopro tinghas on be r lled upzi-nt a o nven nt i e kege, likes re ief adhes vtape. It cansbeireadily stored-and thevprotecom the afio ed by he, rflexihlebase will prevent substantial deterioration {of the mat r a o the a o heet- Whenth sh is to-loe :used the roll can be u-nrollcd, the elastic sheet stripp d from its supporting h se-a appl e the sp ng in the manner above described. 7 u

It will be obvious :that anelastiosheet of this kind, particularly when of ruhbe-rjior obber eome siti-ommey h us d a ave-rapp for electric condnctors and for-:manyeother purp se It will, therefore, he understood thatthe P l-holderembodime ts ot h invention n the .uses thereof specifically disclosed herein ar ill stra iv an not res rictive of (th mean-i c: and e pst efoll r g olaims- Having thus described the} e ioa, whe

by he ters l eteeti is claimed as new. and desiredtlo-beseoured 1. A spring cover comprising a sheet of substantially homogeneous rubber composition under tension enwrapping the spring, with overlapping portions of said sheet united by cohesion.

2. A spring cover comprising a substantially homogeneous elastic sheet, under ten sion, of uncured rubber and presenting tacky surfaces, enwrapping the spring, with overlapping portions of said sheet united by cohesion.

3. A spring cover comprising a homogeneously elastic sheet of uncured rubber composition presenting tacky surfaces spirally, under tension, the spring, With overlapping portions of successive spirals of said sheet united by cohesion.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

DANIEL E. HENNESSY.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,757,633. Granted May 6, 1930, to

DANIEL E. HENNESSY.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 15, claim 3, before the word "under" insert the word "enwrapping"; and that the said Letters Patent should he read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 24th day of June, A. D. 1930.

M. J. Moore,

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

